DYNAMIC CONTROL OF INSTABILITIES WITHIN LIQUID ROCKET ENGINES - FEASIBILITY STUDY

A RESEARCH PROGRAM IS PROPOSED TO ASSESS THE FEASIBILITY OF DESIGNING AN ADAPTIVE FEEDBACK CONTROL SYSTEM TO DYNAMICALLY TUNE ACOUSTIC CAVITIES FOR MAXIMUM DAMPING OF UNSTABLE PRESSURES WITHIN LIQUID ROCKET ENGINES OVER ITS OPERATIONAL RANGE FROM IGNITION TO SHUTOFF. THE RESEARCH EFFORT IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR PARTS. FIRST, A THOROUGH LITERATURE REVIEW WILL BE CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE STATEOF-THE-ART IN THE DESIGN OF ACOUSTIC CAVITIES. SECOND, THE RANGE OF CAVITY IMPEDANCES REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM DAMPING OF ALL EXCITED MODES WITHIN A TYPICAL ENGINE WILL BE DETERMINED. THIRD, CANDIDATE ADAPTIVE FEEDBACK CONTROL SYSTEMS WILL BE PROPOSED AND FOURTH, THEIR FEASIBILITY ASSESSED IN TERMS OF THEIR ABILITY TO SURVIVE IN THE HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT WITHIN LIQUID ROCKET ENGINES.